Written by

@Erik_Larsen

SEASIDE HEIGHTS — Forty-two Zippo lighters and 38 sunglasses, including those sporting the “Jersey Shore” brand, were some of the items the borough now admits first responders took from the local Army-Navy store in the post-superstorm Sandy aftermath.

An 18-page report to the Federal Emergency Management Agency was released by the borough to the Asbury Park Press outlining exactly what items the municipal government agreed to reimburse owners of the Shore Army Navy store that was broken into by first responders following the Oct. 29 disaster.

The borough said the 42 Zippo lighters were valued at $30 apiece for a total cost of $1,260. The sunglasses amounted to a total cost of $415, of which 31 pairs cost $10 apiece and the seven “Jersey Shore” pairs cost $15 apiece.

With much of the region without power in the aftermath of the storm, the Zippos were needed — particularly at night — to generate light the old-fashioned way. The sunglasses were used as improvised goggles, at a time when emergency workers from New Jersey Natural Gas were attempting to disconnect service to the northern barrier island after the devastation resulted in ruptures in the company’s underground infrastructure, Borough Administrator John Camera said.

“They were wearing the glasses when they were shutting off gas service, they took them to use as goggles,” Camera said. “The lighters they just needed for candles or to use the lighters as candles.”

Camera said representatives for the town and FEMA sat with one of the local first responders and went over the nine page invoice presented by the owners of Shore Army Navy on Hamilton Avenue.

Owners Theodore and Denise Domaracki had filed a claim on Dec. 26 with the borough in the amount of $212,613 for missing or damaged merchandise that included hundreds of dollars in shot glasses, sunglasses, G.I. Joe figurines and Elvis novelty plates.

“Together they deleted any items which they did not feel could have been taken for use by first responders in the emergent situation,” Camera wrote. “Each of the nine pages has a new, per page total, and those nine pages then added up to $185,593.52. Having come to that number, we then negotiated with the (Army-Navy) owners and they ultimately agreed to settle any claims they may have against the borough for $185,000.”

Camera said the borough’s first responders felt the need to obtain dry clothes and other items for their own needs and the needs of civilians who remained on Ocean County’s northern barrier island during and after the Oct. 29 disaster, despite a mandatory evacuation order for non-essential personnel.

“They called the (Army-Navy) owners and left a message so that they were aware of the need to go in,” Camera said. “Due to concerns and questions about the entry, our police department did an investigation, handed information over to the (Ocean County) Prosecutor’s Office and they did their own investigation. The borough felt that while it was an atypical way to obtain items, it was warranted at the time and given the situation.”

Theodore Domaracki said he was made aware after the fact that emergency services personnel had attempted to leave a voicemail message on his home telephone. At the time that Seaside Heights officials made the call, a foot of water had swept through his own home in Toms River and there was no electricity or phone service to the house. He never got the message.

Nevertheless, Domaracki emphasized that he has no ill will towards the emergency personnel who forced their way into his store and completely understands the gravity of the situation in Seaside Heights at the time such a decision was made. The Domarackis accepted the $185,000 settlement and were paid earlier this summer.

The document Camera released includes handwritten notations in the margin next to items on the full inventory list of missing or damaged items which the Domarackis submitted to the municipal government for reimbursement.

Those notes include the word “police” next to two line items for the sunglasses and the word “fire helmets” next to a line item for six military dress hats totaling $900. There is also a handwritten note halfway through the document that reads, “38 rescues/calls in total” and “76 ppl (people) + 60 ppl (equals) 136 ppl.”

Another notation reads “OK” next to a line item for the 42 Zippo lighters.

“We simply did our best to then pay the (Army-Navy) owners for merchandise which was taken for use by first responders and, with consultation from our consultant and our FEMA representative submitted a claim for reimbursement,” Camera said.

FBI agents as well as investigators with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Office of Inspector General interviewed municipal employees in August about the emergency response and the official spending related to Sandy, according to borough officials. Investigators also asked specific questions about reimbursements made for the Army-Navy store.

The Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office has also been investigating the reason nonessential items were taken from the store during the recovery.

Borough officials and the Domarackis themselves have speculated that looters may have entered the Army-Navy store after the first responders. Emergency personnel had shattered glass to break into the business and the shop was left vulnerable to further intrusion for up to two weeks after the storm, at which time the Domarackis were allowed onto the barrier island to see the store for the first time since Sandy.